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These easy Buffalo Turkey Meatballs are made in the crockpot and are gluten free, Whole30, and Paleo friendly.

If you don't know, I am obsessed with anything that has buffalo sauce. Throw some buffalo sauce on something and give me a side of ranch and I am one happy girl.
I love making appetizers for the Super Bowl or football games or really just a Sunday hanging around the house. My go-to game day snacks are always these buffalo meatballs and my buffalo chicken poppers.
What I love about these meatballs is that they are so easy to make in the crockpot. They don't take long to put together so you can make them, stick them in your crockpot, and then worry about other things. They are not only super tasty, but they are gluten free, Whole30, dairy free, and Paleo friendly making them perfect for bringing to a party where there might be guests with food allergies.
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Ingredients
Ground turkey- I use 97/3
Substitutions
Ground turkey- I like to use 97/3 but you can use whatever percentage you like. You can also substitute with ground chicken. Note: If you use 99% ground turkey or ground chicken your meatballs might be a little dry. Having a little extra fat helps keep them from drying out.
Hot sauce- I love using Frank's Orginal Hot Sauce but you can use whatever brand you like or bottled buffalo sauce like Frank's Buffalo Sauce or Primal Kitchen's Buffalo Sauce.
Almond flour- You can substitute gluten free breadcrumbs or gluten free panko. I have not tried this recipe with any other gluten free flour but I would suggest sticking with almond flour, breadcrumbs, or panko. Note: if you substitute gluten free breadcrumbs or gluten free panko then this recipe will no longer be Whole30 or Paleo.
Step by Step
- Dice the celery and onion.
- Add the ground turkey, egg, celery, onion, seasonings, and almond flour to a large mixing bowl and combine (make sure to not over mix or your meatball will end up tough).
- Using your hands, roll the mixture into one inch balls and line the bottom of your crockpot (I keep a small bowl of water next to me to wet my fingers while rolling the meatballs since the mixture is sticky).
- Cover the meatballs with hot sauce and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
- When the meatballs are done cooking, use a spoon to skim the fat off the top of the sauce.
- Place the meatballs on a plate and pour the remaing hot sauce over the meatballs.
Serve with toothpicks and a side of ranch. Or see other serving suggestions below.
Frequently ask questions
I like to keep a small bowl of water next to me while rolling the meatballs so I can easily dip my fingers in the water to keep the meat from sticking to my hands.
You want to gently combine the ground turkey with the other ingredients. If you overwork the mixture then your meatballs will be hard.
Tips
The mixture will be sticky when you mix it so I like to keep a small bowl of water next to me while I'm rolling the meatballs. Keeping your fingers wet will help the mixture from sticking to your hands.
When the meatballs are done cooking there will be a layer of fat on the top of the sauce/meatballs. I use a spoon to skim as much of the fat off the top as I can.
What to serve with
I love serving these with a side of ranch and toothpicks if we are having a party.
Adding these to a salad with ranch would be amazing.
Pairing these with a side of rice and veggies would be perfect for a weeknight meal.
Storing/reheating
You can store these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I usually reheat these in the microwave and they still taste great!
Looking for more buffalo recipes? Check these out...
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Your feedback is so important to me.
Recipe
Crockpot Buffalo Turkey Meatballs (Gluten Free, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground turkey I use 97/3
- 1 egg
- 1 celery stalk diced
- ¼ cup onion diced
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups hot sauce (1 ½ cups will be used while cooking and ½ cup will be used after they are cooked) I use Frank's Original Hot Sauce
Instructions
- Dice the celery and onion
- Add the celery, onion, ground turkey, egg, almond flour, and seasonings to a large mixing bowl and combine. Make sure not to over mix or the meatballs will get tough.
- Using your hands, roll the mixture into one inch balls and place in the bottom of your crockpot
- Cover the meatballs with 1 and ½ cups of hot sauce and cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low
- When the meatballs are done cooking, use a spoon to skim the fat off the top of the sauce
- Add the meatballs to a plate and pour the remaining ½ cup of hot sauce on top
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Crockpot
Shara
Can’t wait to have this for SB Sunday!!
Kaleena Martinez
They are perfect for Super Bowl Sunday! Hope you love them!